About the film
A tribute to the endangered southern resident killer whales and the man who began the census to protect them. COUNTING ORCA is a cinematic archive of a community fighting to survive against the odds of time and the clock of life itself. This story sheds light on the early research efforts to learn about the southern residents and the hope that Dr. Ken Balcomb created for their future.
Watch the Trailer
Featuring
Dr. Kenneth C. “Ken” Balcomb III
b. 1940 - d. 2022
Founder of the Center For Whale Research, Former Senior scientist and Executive Director, Center for Whale Research
Ken Balcomb graduated from the University of California in 1963 with a Bachelor’s degree in zoology and a special interest in cetaceans.
Ken, a pioneer and legend in the whale world, was more than just a scientist. He was a North Star, a guiding light which illuminated a path for tens of thousands to follow. His deep-rooted love and connection to the whales and their ocean habitat inspired others to appreciate both as much as he did. His groundbreaking ORCA SURVEY study, which detailed and documented the lives of the Southern Resident killer whale/orca population in the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea, was a testament to his dedication. It determined that the Southern Residents need a greater abundance of food in a healthy habitat to survive, a message he continually heralded to the world—“No fish, No Blackfish.” [No Chinook salmon, No Southern Resident orcas].
Ken’s Southern Residents orca research began in 1976; it is the longest study of this population. His goal was for the Center for Whale Research’s scientific studies to continue for 150 years, provided there were whales to study. He often said about the critically endangered Southern Residents: “I’m not going to count them to zero, at least not quietly.” The Center for Whale Research’s board of directors and staff are dedicated to continuing Ken Balcomb’s life’s work.
Dr. Darren P. Croft
Executive Director, Center for Whale Research, USA, Professor of Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, UK
Darren Croft is Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter (UK) and is Executive Director of the Center for Whale Research. Darren worked closely with the Center for Whale Research’s founder Ken Balcomb, for over a decade. They were collaborators and friends , sharing a passion for understanding and protecting the natural world, particularly the Southern Resident orcas (SRKW) and their habitat. Along with other Center for Whale Research staff, they produced twenty (20) co-authored scientific publications in world-leading international science journals. You can learn more about Darren’s research with the Center for Whale Research by listening to a BBC Radio 4 feature documentary on the evolution of menopause in killer whales or by watching a TED-Ed animated video he developed along with CWR Research Director Michael Wiess.
The Southern Resident Killer Whales
Endangered Population
The detailed information about the orca population status and trends derived from the Center for Whale Research’s long-term studies have been used to support population management decisions in both Canada and the United States. In 2001, the Southern Resident killer whales became listed as endangered in Canada under the Species At Risk Act (SARA) and, in 2005, the SRKW population received the same designation in the United States under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Although the Southern Resident killer whale population was never likely large, it has declined to a point where it is in grave danger of survival. Threats to SRKW survival, including a decline in food abundance (Chinook salmon), pollution, and other environmental stressors, are likely causes of the orcas’ diminishing status.
From the Center of Whale Research Website
In Association With
Center for Whale Research
Film Collaborator
Since 1976, the Center for Whale Research (CWR) has been the leading organization monitoring and studying Southern Resident killer whales in their critical habitat: the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea. CWR performs an annual census and regular health assessments of the orca population, informs the government of the whales’ ecosystem needs, shares their stories with the world, and promotes ecosystem recovery. Our 49 years of research have created the only long-term data set about the Southern Residents’ behavior, health, and social dynamics.
Credits
Directed & Produced By Jessica Huser, Natalie Taylor
Written By Jessica Huser, Natalie Taylor
Narrated By Dr. Darren P. Croft
Cinematography By Mel Taylor, Natalie Taylor, Tasli Shaw, Feargus Cooney, Center for Whale Research
Film Support and Coordination By Lodie Gilbert
Edited By Mel Taylor
Sound Design By Blake Budwill, Mel Taylor
Advised By Howard Garrett, Dr. Darren Croft, Lodie Gilbert, Joe Kennedy
Meet the filmmakers/sisters
Born and raised on Lakeshore Drive, the three of us girls have a deep love for this planet, films and each other. Telling stories together is something we have been doing since we played explorers and barbies in the backyard as kids.
Our goal above anything else is to tell stories that uplift the voices of people who are making an impact through their hard work and commitment to making the world a better place.
We believe that stories have the power to make a difference.
